Fig 2: Localization and relative fluorescence intensities of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 in the glandular epithelium of the bovine endometrium at different estrous stages. Immunostaining images are shown at magnification × 20. The white scale bar is 250 µm. (A) The localization of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 and merged images of DNA and each target protein in the glandular epithelium (GE) (A). NC means incubation with PBS (–) instead of the primary antibody. (B and C) The relative fluorescence intensity of the target protein toward each fluorescence intensity at the early stage, (B) IFNAR1 in GE, (C) IFNAR2 in GE. E: early stage, M: mid stage, and L: late stage. Graph data are shown as the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Letters (P < 0.05) indicate significant differences among stages according to ANOVA followed by Fisher’s PLSD procedure as a multiple-comparison test. The number sign (#) indicates the tendency (P < 0.1).

Fig 3: Different porcine epithelial cells show differences in protein expression levels of the type I IFN receptor chain IFNAR2 and type III IFN receptor chain IFNL1. PK-15, PoREC, IPEC-J2 cells were harvested and prepared for Western blot analysis using antibodies against IFNLR1, IFNAR2 and a-tubulin.

Fig 4: Expression of IFNAR1, IFNAR2, COPS5, IRF1, IRF2, IRF3, and IRF9 mRNAs in the bovine endometrium at different estrous stages. The vertical line shows the relative expression levels of mRNAs according to qRT-PCR, normalized to H2AFZ as a reference gene, while the horizontal axis indicates each estrous stage for (A) IFNAR1, (B) IFNAR2, (C) COPS5, (D) IRF1, (E) IRF2, (F) IRF3, and (G) IRF9. E: early stage, M: mid stage, and L: late stage. All data are shown as the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Letters (P < 0.05) indicate significant differences among stages according to ANOVA followed by Fisher’s PLSD procedure as a multiple-comparison test. The number sign (#) indicates the tendency (P < 0.1).